Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1887-09-16
A BRAVE COWARD.

remembered | woke up very early
that morning, with that dim sense Of
something important being about to
happen which so often inserts itself into
the brain of the partially aroused
sleeper
! Without opening my eyes, l began
drowsily wondering what it was. Did |
expect my commission No; that ar
rived three months ago Was to Join
my regiment? No; had already done
that, and was now settled IA barracks in
a small Irish garrison town with an un-
pronounceable name. Then | remember
| dozed off again, only to start up and
wonder what ON earth it was.
The start did it. l opened my eyes,
and knew it was the cath Of June, the
day our fellows had arranged to give
their picnic in Arrangounicll Wood.
OF course l had gone to sleep thinking
Of it, dreamt of it, and now all my plans
rushed into my brain; how that |, Lieu
tenant Erie Maurice H. NJ Forty eighth
Royal Blues, stood pledged d-at any rate,
ia my own mind-on that day to gain
for my own the kindest little heart, the
merriest blue eyes, the rosiest lips in all
the .sraaI,alal isle
That ali these Belonged 70 Noraff
O'Cregan | need not tell you; for if YOU
have ever heard Of that military town
of Houstgoron, you have heard, too. of
Norah
Once had fully comprehended all
that was before me, | jumped out of my
bed into my tub, singing, whistling and
shouting as is my wont during tha pro
erosion of my toilet Walls in barracks
are notably not Of the thckest, and
received many Interruptions to my song:
'Whcn and how shall earliest me-e-et herr
What are the words she first shall say.o
Bother youw shouted Tompkips
from the room on the left, and crash
came boot hurled viciously against
the wall.
by what name shall lear-rn to gree ct her,
you idiotl"-this from Williams on
the right, accompanied by tapping, as
of brush. Cant you. let fellow
slecp?"
81 know not now, but shall kno-ow some
day"
AT this juncture my door was burst
violently open, and in came Tompkins
himself in an unbecoming state of un-
dress and another boot held menacingly
up in the air. This, however, he drop
ped when he saw me already dressed and
fixing crimson rosebud ia my coat the
exact shade Of the silk handkerchief
whose corners showed knowingly from
my pocket
"Whcw w.-whcw" he calmly re-
marked, seating himself on my bed. as
that itl Poor fellow" And he slowly
inspected me from head to foot. Don't
you think, he continued, "that flower
leans a little too much to the left? 1t
might fall out, you know, and then all
,he heavy work would fan on the hand
kerchicf; you can't expect it to do the
business unsupported. But stay, dear
boy; alter nothing. As yon are, you
are
But here left the room. This man
always irritatcd me almost beyond en-
durance, and | never could understand
how any one in this wide world could
find amusement in his foolish remarks.
looked at my watch. Good gra-
ciousl 1t wanted still three hours to the
time we We're to start. Breakfast might
be made to last one, but what to do with
the other two rather puzzled me.
went outside and walked up and down,
but was soon driven in again by seeing
Tompkins' ugly face watching me with
a broad grin from his window.
However the time passed somehow,
and saw no more Of Tompkins, and be-
gan TO hope that after all he was not
coming with us. This hope lasted until
was seated on The drag, when sudden
ly heard his loud voice as he mounted
the steps to the top.
Never know if feel most like cir
Gus or bank holiday on this thing - he
was saying.
And as his head appeared over the
seat opposite me and his eye caught
mine, he paused, put up his glasses
and slowly surveyed me from my feet
upward until his eye rested on my rose
bud, when he gently waved his hand to
intimate that it inclined too much to the
left burst INTO loud gufTaw and sat
down
This added 70 tia annoyance already
felt and declining to take any part in
tho finn tbnt ,.f...t -, a. I